held for murder and kidnapping."
She closed her eyes, the color draining from her face. "Who has died?"
The calm feeling was gone. Every spring in the under-stuffed couch now dug mercilessly into his skin. "You do not seem surprised your friend has been arrested for murder."
Her eyes reopened; the orbs glassy with anguish. "I never doubt the horrors people are capable of."
He thought of the horrors he'd witnessed in his lifetime and couldn't agree with her more. "I wish I could," he murmured.
"I hate to imagine what atrocities you've seen, Detective."
He smiled bitterly. "It's better if you don't."
As her eyes locked on his, a fresh wave of sadness passed over them. She looked so troubled, for a second, he forgot himself and started to rise, to reach out and comfort her. Luckily, her words interrupted him. "Who has died?" she repeated.
The couch squeaked as he settled back onto it. "Tina Spalling and Melanie Young."
Her hands clenched into tight fists in her lap. "And Lohr…?"
"Directly responsible for one. Indirectly the other." He pushed away any lingering sympathies toward her. He had to focus. "Tell me, Ms. Hopkins, when you took Melanie Young and Kate Miller to him at the Forever Dark Vampire Ball, were you aware of his intentions to kidnap and torture them?"
"No," she said, her voice distant.
"So you had no idea of his plan to hold Kate Miller against her will? To tie her to a bed while he sliced her up and drank her blood? Or that he planned on using Melanie Young as bait to lure Miss Miller to his warehouse?"
Horror flashed across her face and then she wiped it away. "No. I knew he was interested in Kate, but I never…" Her gaze locked on nothing in particular, and she was obviously working something out in her mind. "But I never dreamed he would force her." She continued, turning her attention back to him, her brown eyes refocused. "You said two women were dead, Melanie and Tina. Kate is…?"
"Recovering. She was discharged from the hospital last night."
Her breath escaped in a relived sigh. "And Tina… How did she die?"
"Lohr shot her in retaliation after she shot Scott Corelli. In the head."
She maintained the perfectly erect posture, but her entire body trembled as if any moment she might explode. Even as she kept her expression neutral she couldn't hide the grief in her eyes. He could sense it as if it were his own.
Was it true grief or actually guilt? That's what he needed to know.
She visibly swallowed and then delicately cleared her throat. "What do you need from me, Detective?"
Like Armand, she knew more than she let on. In a flash, he decided imploring her help would get him further than accusing her. Her story matched Kate Miller's perfectly, so it was possible she wasn't involved in the abduction plot. Making her an ally might be more effective than making her an enemy.
He'd like to say it was for the benefit of the investigation. That her looking like she could break down any minute didn't make his heart ache. He told himself that while her vulnerability might be great for a confession (of what he wasn't sure), it wouldn't help him uncover information about any other victims.
"We suspect the recent victims weren't his only ones," he told her. "Can you come down to the station and see if you can make an identification?" Yeah, his request had nothing to do with wanting to see her again and everything to do with the case. It was all for the investigation.
"I can, but I don't know how much help I'll be. People come and go so frequently in the Community, and I rarely know their legal names. I might be able to tell you if I recognize a face but not much more."
"Any assistance you can offer will be greatly appreciated."
She nodded tightly. "When should I come down?"
"Any time tomorrow. Also, Ms. Hopkins—"
"Angel."
It really was a suitable name for her. Whether or not she was the Angel of Death was yet to be determined, she was still an angel.
" Angel ," he repeated slowly,
She closed her eyes, the color draining from her face. "Who has died?"
The calm feeling was gone. Every spring in the under-stuffed couch now dug mercilessly into his skin. "You do not seem surprised your friend has been arrested for murder."
Her eyes reopened; the orbs glassy with anguish. "I never doubt the horrors people are capable of."
He thought of the horrors he'd witnessed in his lifetime and couldn't agree with her more. "I wish I could," he murmured.
"I hate to imagine what atrocities you've seen, Detective."
He smiled bitterly. "It's better if you don't."
As her eyes locked on his, a fresh wave of sadness passed over them. She looked so troubled, for a second, he forgot himself and started to rise, to reach out and comfort her. Luckily, her words interrupted him. "Who has died?" she repeated.
The couch squeaked as he settled back onto it. "Tina Spalling and Melanie Young."
Her hands clenched into tight fists in her lap. "And Lohr…?"
"Directly responsible for one. Indirectly the other." He pushed away any lingering sympathies toward her. He had to focus. "Tell me, Ms. Hopkins, when you took Melanie Young and Kate Miller to him at the Forever Dark Vampire Ball, were you aware of his intentions to kidnap and torture them?"
"No," she said, her voice distant.
"So you had no idea of his plan to hold Kate Miller against her will? To tie her to a bed while he sliced her up and drank her blood? Or that he planned on using Melanie Young as bait to lure Miss Miller to his warehouse?"
Horror flashed across her face and then she wiped it away. "No. I knew he was interested in Kate, but I never…" Her gaze locked on nothing in particular, and she was obviously working something out in her mind. "But I never dreamed he would force her." She continued, turning her attention back to him, her brown eyes refocused. "You said two women were dead, Melanie and Tina. Kate is…?"
"Recovering. She was discharged from the hospital last night."
Her breath escaped in a relived sigh. "And Tina… How did she die?"
"Lohr shot her in retaliation after she shot Scott Corelli. In the head."
She maintained the perfectly erect posture, but her entire body trembled as if any moment she might explode. Even as she kept her expression neutral she couldn't hide the grief in her eyes. He could sense it as if it were his own.
Was it true grief or actually guilt? That's what he needed to know.
She visibly swallowed and then delicately cleared her throat. "What do you need from me, Detective?"
Like Armand, she knew more than she let on. In a flash, he decided imploring her help would get him further than accusing her. Her story matched Kate Miller's perfectly, so it was possible she wasn't involved in the abduction plot. Making her an ally might be more effective than making her an enemy.
He'd like to say it was for the benefit of the investigation. That her looking like she could break down any minute didn't make his heart ache. He told himself that while her vulnerability might be great for a confession (of what he wasn't sure), it wouldn't help him uncover information about any other victims.
"We suspect the recent victims weren't his only ones," he told her. "Can you come down to the station and see if you can make an identification?" Yeah, his request had nothing to do with wanting to see her again and everything to do with the case. It was all for the investigation.
"I can, but I don't know how much help I'll be. People come and go so frequently in the Community, and I rarely know their legal names. I might be able to tell you if I recognize a face but not much more."
"Any assistance you can offer will be greatly appreciated."
She nodded tightly. "When should I come down?"
"Any time tomorrow. Also, Ms. Hopkins—"
"Angel."
It really was a suitable name for her. Whether or not she was the Angel of Death was yet to be determined, she was still an angel.
" Angel ," he repeated slowly,
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